St. Kitts and Nevis had a good growth year in 2016. That makes me think of a few things.
1. I was the missionary leader for my ward that year (or part of it), and we did not teach or baptize that much in my ward. Seeing success in some other part of the world makes me feel better, knowing that my missionaries and us ward members were not growing that much, on paper, but that perhaps allowed others to do their part. It's all a collective effort.
2. The Caribbean, especially non-Spanish speaking, is one of the toughest growth areas. It is heartening to see good years there!
3. No matter where we serve or evangelize, growth is possible. I remember a college student who served in southern France who insisted that he could teach and baptize, based on heaps of faith in Christ, despite the stigmas or reputations attached to "difficult" cultures or areas.
Mentioning SDAs, I attended some services on Saturday mornings as a missionary and I felt that was an effective uyse of our time. They even gave us opportunities to share. It was enriching, and perhaps we opened some doors. Mulchen and Coihueco, Chile.
Hello again, everyone! Matt, thanks for your tireless efforts to update these profiles. We appreciate all your hard work in that respect, and in keeping us all informed of the latest Church growth developments while you do that. The latest updates reflect how much the Lord is both aware of and prospering His work worldwide, and it is inspiring.
It appears that for the Saints in Port of Spain Trinidad to get to their assigned temple in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic involves a one-way trip of 780 miles, which would certainly put it high on the list of metrics that President Nelson may be examining for future temple locations. I think I'm going to add that prospect to my list for the Caribbean Area, where it will join Santiago Dominican Republic (in which island nation a second temple seems likely) and Kingston Jamaica (which, based on Nelsonian announcements thus far, also seems likely.
As a former missionary in the Trinidad Port of Spain Mission (serving in Suriname and Bonaire), I would say that most of the Caribbean area is a 'difficult' area and not a lot of church growth occurs because of the poor economic conditions that made it hard for people to really commit to the gospel and make it a priority.
Poverty certainly makes things more difficult to entertain the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in the Caribbean countries anywhere else. Islands with major populations like Martinique and Guadeloupe have been disappointing for a long time, to me, and perhaps a few others. The Browns of northern Virginia did their senior mission administering in about 10 nations in the Western Antilles around 2012 or so. The diversity of cultures also seems to pose unique problems from island to island, plus the mainland like where you served, and thanks for your service and efforts. Faith in God is admirable to witness in all climes.
I have a question for you, unrelated to Church Growth.
You live in Germany, right? I'm a children's book author and I'm translating one of my books into a couple of different languages. I'm looking for some advice with a few of my German phrases. Would you be interested?
Those in poverty are often the most receptive. However this is often people who are not the most poor.
Another factor that works against the growth of the Church in some parts of the Caribbean is high rates of emigration. Which may in some cases be fueled by few temples.
I am strongly hoping for Jamaica to get a temple. I am also hoping for one for the north of Luzon.
JPL, the more we see of the unconventional nature of announcements made by President Nelson, the more I am convinced that there are prospects that are cuurently on the lists of many individuals, as well as others that none of us can currently see coming (along the lines of the unexpected timing for the announcement of temples in Russia, India, mainland China, and the Middle East, to name a few). I look forward to seeing that unfold.r
I was discussing and trying to calculate how many less active members I met in Chile. Counting splits, that probably adds another 20 percent. Maybe... 1500? That might be high, maybe not. Some of those that I taught and baptized went less active during my mission, even whike I was still there. Perhaps the standards were too lax... But it is hard when the person is willing, and they pass the interview. But the attendance protocol is what hurt us. But even those who attended a lot would fall away later...
11 comments:
Phased reopening of select temples begins next Monday:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-limited-reopening-temples
I think Trinidad would be a good candidate for a temple.
I think so too - probably the best one in the Caribbean right now.
St. Kitts and Nevis had a good growth year in 2016. That makes me think of a few things.
1. I was the missionary leader for my ward that year (or part of it), and we did not teach or baptize that much in my ward. Seeing success in some other part of the world makes me feel better, knowing that my missionaries and us ward members were not growing that much, on paper, but that perhaps allowed others to do their part. It's all a collective effort.
2. The Caribbean, especially non-Spanish speaking, is one of the toughest growth areas.
It is heartening to see good years there!
3. No matter where we serve or evangelize, growth is possible. I remember a college student who served in southern France who insisted that he could teach and baptize, based on heaps of faith in Christ, despite the stigmas or reputations attached to "difficult" cultures or areas.
Mentioning SDAs, I attended some services on Saturday mornings as a missionary and I felt that was an effective uyse of our time. They even gave us opportunities to share. It was enriching, and perhaps we opened some doors.
Mulchen and Coihueco, Chile.
Hello again, everyone! Matt, thanks for your tireless efforts to update these profiles. We appreciate all your hard work in that respect, and in keeping us all informed of the latest Church growth developments while you do that. The latest updates reflect how much the Lord is both aware of and prospering His work worldwide, and it is inspiring.
It appears that for the Saints in Port of Spain Trinidad to get to their assigned temple in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic involves a one-way trip of 780 miles, which would certainly put it high on the list of metrics that President Nelson may be examining for future temple locations. I think I'm going to add that prospect to my list for the Caribbean Area, where it will join Santiago Dominican Republic (in which island nation a second temple seems likely) and Kingston Jamaica (which, based on Nelsonian announcements thus far, also seems likely.
As a former missionary in the Trinidad Port of Spain Mission (serving in Suriname and Bonaire), I would say that most of the Caribbean area is a 'difficult' area and not a lot of church growth occurs because of the poor economic conditions that made it hard for people to really commit to the gospel and make it a priority.
Poverty certainly makes things more difficult to entertain the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in the Caribbean countries anywhere else. Islands with major populations like Martinique and Guadeloupe have been disappointing for a long time, to me, and perhaps a few others.
The Browns of northern Virginia did their senior mission administering in about 10 nations in the Western Antilles around 2012 or so. The diversity of cultures also seems to pose unique problems from island to island, plus the mainland like where you served, and thanks for your service and efforts. Faith in God is admirable to witness in all climes.
@Pascal Friedmann
I have a question for you, unrelated to Church Growth.
You live in Germany, right? I'm a children's book author and I'm translating one of my books into a couple of different languages. I'm looking for some advice with a few of my German phrases. Would you be interested?
Those in poverty are often the most receptive. However this is often people who are not the most poor.
Another factor that works against the growth of the Church in some parts of the Caribbean is high rates of emigration. Which may in some cases be fueled by few temples.
I am strongly hoping for Jamaica to get a temple. I am also hoping for one for the north of Luzon.
JPL, the more we see of the unconventional nature of announcements made by President Nelson, the more I am convinced that there are prospects that are cuurently on the lists of many individuals, as well as others that none of us can currently see coming (along the lines of the unexpected timing for the announcement of temples in Russia, India, mainland China, and the Middle East, to name a few). I look forward to seeing that unfold.r
I was discussing and trying to calculate how many less active members I met in Chile. Counting splits, that probably adds another 20 percent. Maybe... 1500? That might be high, maybe not. Some of those that I taught and baptized went less active during my mission, even whike I was still there.
Perhaps the standards were too lax... But it is hard when the person is willing, and they pass the interview. But the attendance protocol is what hurt us. But even those who attended a lot would fall away later...
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